by Max Jager
Taking his seat at the head of the table, Kiyoshi kept his hand on his temples as he let out a long sigh and tried to relax. "I swear the sooner this is done the sooner I get back to normal."
Laughing, Sanzo gave him a nod as he shook his head. "I can see that." But then his eyes strayed to the little girl and the glare she still had for him in her eyes hidden behind the emotionless mask of Kiyoshi. "Though I do have another question."
Growling Kiyoshi glared at him. "You are full of them today aren't you? What is it?"
Nodding toward the child he kept his big smile. "Are you sure that this little one here is not yours by blood? She acts exactly like you did at that size."
Blinking at the falcon then turning his eyes to his daughter he was confused. She showed no emotion on her face except for the glare in her eyes for him that nearly matched his perfectly. Not the typical Imae that everyone has seen. "Imae?"
Not even looking at him, Imae sat perfectly still. "I heard Master Umarus and Master Yoite talking. He tried to touch Mama. I don't like him."
Bursting into a fit of laughter, Sanzo threw his head back then leaned on the table again. His smile never wavered. "I really meant no h arm by it little one. I merely only wanted to look into her eyes as I talked with her."
"But you had no right." Imae had never been so angry. She absorbed everything like a sponge from the day Kiyoshi told her that she was his daughter and she called him Father for the first time. It was not showing respect to anyone in the home. Most of all her Father and Mother. She didn't like it! And as their daughter she wasn't going to sit back and do nothing about it!
Taking a deep breath she didn't even realize that her hand was moving slowly toward the practice blade that they let her carry all the time. "I don't like you for that reason My Lord."
Sanzo smiled as his eyes gleamed into the glaring eyes of this little girl. She really should have been born Kiyoshi's pup. It was no wonder he was so quick to adopt her as his eldest. She acted exactly like him! "Tell me chick do you really want to challenge me like that?"
Her eyes narrowing, Imae finally reached her practice blade. "I am not a chick, I am a pup."
"You really don't want to do that though."
"But you tried to….."
Having had enough of this, but proud at the same time Kiyoshi let out a small growl. "Imae."
The tone of his voice was like someone threw ice cold water through her veins, making Imae flinch as she moved her hand from the practice blade and dropped her head as she sighed and her face relaxed. "Yes Father."
Still amazed at this little girl, Sanzo still smiled as he kept his eyes on her. Finally after a moment he laughed. "You have a heart and lots of courage little one. That is rare to find even in demon children of your age. Let alone a human child like you. Most humans your age would be terrified but you wanted to challenge me. And for all the right reasons. So I tell you what. For that, and that alone, we will spar."
Jerking her head up with extra wide and shiny chocolate eyes, Imae was the polar opposite of how she was just moments ago. She couldn't believe what she just heard! "Wait really? You will?"
Laughing again as he nodded his head, Sanzo was more than impressed with this child. "Yep. And if you can touch me, I will even tell you something about fighting that my father told me when I was about your size and he was training me."
Her eyes pleading as she turned her head to her father, Imae was starting to find it hard to sit still when all she wanted to do was jump around for joy. But she wanted to make her father look good, and his eldest pup had to do what she was supposed to. "Father?"
With a flash of a smile, Kiyoshi nodded to her. "Sure. After we eat."
Her eyes still bright and sparkly, Imae turned back to look at Sanzo as she smiled as big as he was. "Thank you very much Lord Sanzo!"
Holding a hand up as he sat back as food was finally brought in, Sanzo couldn't help but laugh again. Totally different but still just as rare. "No. Just Sanzo. Your father only calls me that so that is all you and your mother need to call me okay?"
"Thank you!"
Before anyone else could say anything, they all looked up to see Sorae and Yokiyo walking in the room. As she reached him, Kiyoshi stood and put an arm around her waist with a worried look. He had never in his life seen a creature get sick as much as she has.
With a smile Yokiyo looked up into his eyes as she laughed. "I will be alright. Like I told your mother, and have told you many times. Demons may not get sick when they are pregnant but a human does. In just a few weeks it will pass and I won't get sick anymore. You will see." She then turned and gave another small bow for Sanzo. "My Lord."
His smile turning into a glare, Sanzo hissed. "I told you and I just told your daughter. Sanzo will be just fine no titles are needed."
"Very well." Taking her seat next to her mate, Yokiyo closed her eyes as she inhaled the smell of the food. But the worry that was next to her made her smile over at Kiyoshi. "I promise you that I am fine. You will see."
Nearly bouncing out of her chair, Imae turned fully to face her mother as she smiled. "Mama! Sanzo said that after we are done eating he will spar with me! And that if I can touch him he will teach me something that his father taught him!"
Giving her a small nod Yokiyo laughed as she smiled down at her. "That is wonderful honey. Already asking others for lessons I see."
Another fit of laughter as he sat his choptsticks down, Sanzo shook his head side to side. "I offered it to her actually. You see she heard Umarus talking to someone about what happened during our first meeting. Her hand went to her practice blade with every intention on defending her mother's honor. I haven't seen that much courage in demon kids. Let alone a human little girl her size. So I told her I would teach her something if she can touch me in a sparring match."
Turning a sly and yet graceful smile from her daughter to the bird, the look was very clear in her eyes. "You may not want to underestimate her. My daughter will surprise you."
Shaking his head with a smile, Sanzo let out a small laugh. "Of that I have no doubts."
"My Lord."
Everyone looked up to see Yoite walking into the room. His eyes narrowed Kiyoshi growled. "What is it?"
Holding out the scroll for him, Yoite sighed. "You have a message from Motoichi My Lord."
Jerking the scroll from his hand, Kiyoshi ripped it open and then growled as he read what it said. He was in fact sending someone after all. "Bastard."
Sorae let her throat constrict when she saw the demeanor of her son change so drastically. Motoichi was the source of pain for Soichiro whom they haven't heard from in a long time. Taking a nervous deep breath she looked at her son. "What does he say Kiyoshi?"
"He is sending a court member of the North for the presentation and they will be here in five days."
With a smile Yokiyo reached up to pick up her cup of tea as she let out a sigh. "I was actually hoping that he would do this."
All eyes, even Imae's eyes jerked to see the miko smiling contently as she drank her tea. Kiyoshi growled as he narrowed his eyes at her. "You do realize that they are going to be the first that will…"
"Try and kill me and not stop until I am good and dead. I know this Kiyoshi." Then she gave him a look as the recognition in her mate's eyes made her smile even more as her feelings shined through. "At some point I am going to have to prove to everyone that I am not the weak minded foolish human that the world believes me to be. Who better to prove that too than someone like that?"
X
Holding her practice blade in the middle of the court yard, Imae looked up at the bird that was standing in front of her. With her guard position up and her mask in place she made eye contact with him. "How many tries do I get to try and touch you?"
"You get to try it three different times. If you touch me on any of them, I will teach you something. If you can't then you can just chalk this up to extra practice."
Nodding Imae let her eyes lose their shine, s
he focused on what she had to do right now. The first thing that Master Umarus taught her was to never use the same attack twice and to clear her mind from anything. She couldn't beat him and she knew it. But she didn't have to beat him she just had to touch him. She could do that.
She knew seeing as who he was that if she saw an opening e would be leaving it for her. But she wouldn't hesitate in the least. It was time to show good of a student she was to her father and everyone who was watching. 'I can do this.'
X
Standing in the window as he watched what was going on in the garden, Kurosai had mixed feelings about what was going on. His mate was with them and he knew she was right to a point. It was time to stop fighting against it. But every instinct in him told him to fight it as hard as he could. In less time than it would take for that pup to reach his knees, she would be gone and his son would be left alone with one half breed kid, maybe two if they were lucky and that would be it forever.
And he knew now that even if he did drive her away or kill her, it would be the same fate for his son, but with no chance of ever having a child of his own. Demon or otherwise. His eyes focused on his son, Kurosai let out a long sigh. "You fool. I only hope that pup is a boy."
Walking in the room, Yukani had wide eyes as she walked toward her father. "But Papa would you really do that? Would you really just stand by and let him make a half breed the next Lord of the South? Really?"
Not even looking at her as he shifted his eyes to Imae, Kurosai sighed as he crossed his arms. "I don't really have a choice Yukani. The only way I can stop it is to be Lord again, and the only way to do that is if he hands it back or I kill him. You and I both know neither is going to happen."
Reaching her father, Yukani had her head down. "So then we really do need to just do what Mama said and suck it up and get over it then don't we?"
"That's right."
Looking up at her father then out the window where he was looking, Yukani went wide eyed as she blinked to see that Imae and Sanzo were getting ready to spar with each other! "Wait? Why are they doing that?"
"I have no clue. But I would like to see how Imae has progressed since she started traing."
X
After circling around with Sanzo for a few moments, Imae Saw it. It was an opening! It was so clear even for her that he left it. It was just like her father and Umarus would do. Hardening her eyes she ran at him like she was going to do a stray shot right at it. Just before she got there she spun and kicked out like she was going to trip him. When his eyes looked down as he smiled she turned the top part of her body and swung coming into contact with his hip right where he left it. A split second later her eyes went wide as she smiled and then started to jump around. "I did it! I really did it!"
Her eyes no longer focused they were their usual bright and shiny chocolate eyes as she turned and raced to stand before her parents. "Mama! Father! Did you see me? I really did it! I did it!"
A smile as pride rolled off of him, Kiyoshi laid a hand on her head as he looked down at her. "You did. Good job."
Another sharp nod and she turned and ran over to where Umarus and Yoite both stood together. "Master Umarus! Master Yoite! Did you see me! I really touched him!"
"Yes you did. Good job My Lady."
Smiling as Yoite smiled with Imae, Umarus looked up to see a rather odd looking bird. Crossing his arms, he smiled. "What is the mater Lord Sanzo? Has my student left you a little speechless?"
Looking down as the little girl in question raced over to stand before him once again. When he sparred with her she had the eyes of a seasoned fighter. Now she is so innocent that you would never think she ever saw a weapon one. "Yes actually. I honestly thought she would try the same thing three times, not to fakes and then get me on the first round."
Dropping down so that his eyes were even with hers he smiled a huge toothy grin. "Yes little one I never expected you to actually touch me. Faked me out twice and then attacked on the third try. Each time using something different. You are going to be quite formidable when you are bigger. Good job chick."
Blinking as she let her head fall to the side and her shoulders slump, Imae sighed. "But I am a pup. Remember."
Laughing Sanzo nodded. "Yes I remember. You are your father's pup. It is a bad habit for me. Remember I am a bird after all. Instead of pup or chick how about I just call you kid then?"
Shaking her head side to side Imae smiled brightly as she giggled. "It is alright Sanzo. You can call me chick if you want too."
"Perfect."
Her eyes then turning curious she let her head fall to the side as she blinked. "What were you going to tell me now?"
Sitting down before her, Sanzo crossed his legs and laughed when she did exactly the same thing. "Well now chick, this isn't something that I can really teach you. It is more like some advice that I can give you that helped me out as I learned to fight."
Imae had extra wide eyes as she gazed up at him. "What is it?"
As his smile faded, Sanzo felt his eyes starting to mist over with tears as he remembered his father telling him this. It was nearly the very same kind of situation. Taking a deep breath he sighed. "You see chick, when you are fighting a demon. They have a very bad habit of living through things that a human wouldn't. For example. Your father, grandmother, grandfather, Umarus, and Yoite. All of us could take a sword shoved right through the stomach and we would be just fine in time. A human like you or your mother would die."
Blinking, Imae was a little confused now. "But if that is the case then how will I know if the demon is really dead?"
Leaning in closer to her, his usual large toothy grin was back in place. "That is simple chick. My father told me to make sure you kill them three times." Seeing the question leap in her eyes, Sanzo held his hand up to stop her. Reaching out he helped her to stand then touched her leg between her feet and knees. "First you take them out here. The knees or lower and that will cut them down to size." He then moved and touched her chest with a finger. "Then you run them through here. And the last thing you do is take off their heads."
Tensing at what he said at the end, Yokiyo wasn't so sure that Imae needed to know about cutting someone's head off at six years old. But she forced herself to relax and not say anything at the same time. She lived in a palace of demons. In the demon world things are different. A world apart from the world she grew up in.
With a slight confused look Imae absorbed what he just said to her. After a moment she gasped as she smiled as everything sank in. "I get it! Their legs make them shorter, their chest and they can't breathe and then I just take off their head."
His eyes going wide, Sanzo fell backwards as he started to laugh hysterically. He never expected her to repeat what he just told her so matter of fact like that! Standing up he smiled down at her as he patted her head. "That's exactly right chick. Exactly." Turning to Kiyoshi he kept his smile as he crossed his arms. "Kiyoshi this one is going to be one to reckon with when she is grown up. You sure she isn't yours and just fooling my nose or something? She just said about taking someone's head off with a smile and a sparkle in her eye."
Laying his own hand on her head as Imae moved to stand before he and Yokiyo, Kiyoshi smiled at her then looked up at the bird. "Is that such a bad thing?"
Shaking his head no with a bright smile, Sanzo let his eyes land on the little girl again. "Nope. That will be to her advantage. No one will be expecting something like that coming from those sweet innocent eyes."
"Exactly."
With a laugh as he turned his focus to Yokiyo, Sanzo had another big grin. "And Yokiyo. How are you feeling right now?"
Growling, Kiyoshi narrowed his eyes. "No."
Looking up at him with her own annoyed growl, Yokiyo crossed her arms. "I am actually feeling much better and very much up to doing this more so now than this morning. Three days now I puke morning to afternoon. Right now would be perfect."
Turning his eyes back down to her, Kiyoshi growled even louder as his eyes narr
owed more. "No."
Not backing down, Yokiyo sighed. "Yes. Better to get it done now so I don't have to worry about it again until the presentation."
After growling back and forth for a moment, Kiyoshi finally sighed as he closed his eyes. "Fine but not with you."
Turning to Sanzo again, Yokiyo smiled sweetly at him. "I think we can agree to that. What would you like to see first? Lord Shone has already said that he will respect My Lord's choice in a mate and will be here to show his support in that. So you are the only one that really needs a demonstration. What would you like to see first?"
Seeing the confidence that she had radiating off of her. And he couldn't help but feel that his sister was going to be more than pissed when she got there. She had that same look that Imae did! She could smile so sweet at you and take your head off at the same time! "How about sparing."